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Las Vegas Bowl boasts high TV ratings

The Las Vegas Bowl has announced that the TV ratings for Saturday’s Washington-Boise State game were among the best in its history. Here’s the press release with details:

The final numbers are in and the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, which is owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), last Saturday drew the game’s second-highest-rated telecast in a decade and third-highest in its 21-year history.

No. 20/15 Boise State’s thrilling 28-26 victory over first-time visitor Washington December 22 was popular nationally as it earned a rating of 3.3 on ESPN. It trailed only the 2010 MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, which drew a 3.8 for Boise State vs. Utah.

Last year’s MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, which was played on a Thursday night, earned a 2.4 rating for a game between Arizona State and Boise State. The highest-rated Las Vegas Bowl in history came in 2001 when a Christmas Day game featuring USC and Utah was broadcast by ABC and pulled in a 4.7.

“We had a top matchup that came down to the wire with the always-exciting backdrop of Las Vegas,” said MAACO Bowl Las Vegas Executive Director Dan Hanneke. “That’s a combination that’s going to get you great ratings. We’re very proud of the event put on by our city, not just on gameday but all week long.”